We Can Never Be
by modernxxmyth
Summary: A fluffyangsty Skate oneshot based off of the promo for What Kate Did. Sawyer and Kate action's always fun, right?


**A/N:** Howdy! It's Skate one-shot time! This includes spoilers all the way through to 2x08 "Collision" and spoilers from the promo from 2x09 "What Kate Did." This is my fluffy interpretation of what's going to happen in one of the scenes from the American promo. R&R please!

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Lost. But you know that already.

**We Can Never Be**

Kate could tell that Sawyer was lingering somewhere in semi-consciousness, not quite asleep, yet not quite awake. She was standing in the doorway, remaining unnoticed, just as she preferred it. Jack was by Sawyer's side, changing his bandage and tending to his wound. She could see the pain on Sawyer's face and desperately wanted to be there, comforting him, but she knew she couldn't. Her feelings for Sawyer were getting far too dangerous. She had deep feelings for him, Kate realized, and they had only intensified since he's gotten back. But she could not act on them. It would only end disastrously. It always did. And it always would.

She watched Sawyer stir slightly in his half-sleeping state, in obvious pain. He was muttering something, but Kate couldn't quite make out the words, and it seemed, neither could Jack. But the muttering got louder, and Kate could faintly make out what Sawyer was saying. He seemed to be talking to himself.

"I love her."

Kate's heart nearly stopped beating that instant.

"You mean Kate?" Jack asked.

Sawyer's eyes fluttered open slowly, returning to full consciousness and realizing what he'd said. "Yeah," he muttered, "Kate." Moments later he was asleep again.

A small sob escaped Kate's lips that she couldn't hold back. She leaned against the wall, trying to steady herself, but she slid down to the ground in a sitting position, wrapping her arms around her knees, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. Jack turned to her, visibly shocked. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," Kate stated quietly. She blinked hard, trying to fight the tears, but one escaped her eye and trickled gently down her face. Kate wiped it away furiously. "This can't happen," Kate whispered more to herself than to Jack.

"Kate," Jack said, obviously concerned. "Are you alright?"

She bit her lip and nodded, unable to speak, knowing she wouldn't be able to fool him if she did. Jack looked at her sadly. "You know he probably won't even remember he said it when he wakes up," he stated, attempting to comfort her.

"It's _Sawyer_," she stated, "He'll definitely remember."

Jack walked up to Kate and placed a hand on hers, trying to console her. She jerked away from his touch. He sighed, "I'll leave you alone if you like." Kate nodded, and to her relief, Jack left.

Kate sighed. Why did Sawyer have to say that? He didn't love her….He _couldn't_ love her. Sawyer, of all people, was not supposed to fall for her. It was only going to hurt him, and she knew he'd been hurt enough already in his life. Why did this have to happen? They could never be. Despite what feelings she had for him, despite what he felt for her, they just could never be. Like always, it would end horribly. Just look at what happened to Tom….

Sawyer stirred in his sleep and Kate instantly went to his side, subconsciously taking his hand. "Sawyer?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Kate…."

She smiled gently. "Yeah, it's me. Kate."

He looked like he was in so much pain. She wanted to comfort him terribly. Eventually, Kate gave in and crawled onto the bed, sitting next to him, taking his head in her arms as she had when she had given him the medicine the day before. She gently stroked his hair and watched the expression of pain on his face fade to that of contentment and slight relaxation. Kate felt the corners of her mouth form a slight smile. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said gruffly. Kate knew that his answer was an obvious sign for her to move back to her previous position, next to his bed, but she didn't move. She couldn't. At that moment, Kate wanted nothing more than to hold Sawyer in her arms and be with him, despite what consequences there might be later.

Kate sighed, "Sawyer?" she asked quietly. "Were you serious about what you said to Jack earlier?"

Sawyer flinched slightly in her arms. "You heard that?"

"Yeah…"

Sawyer sighed, defeated, knowing there was no point in lying to her. She could read him like a book, anyway. "Yeah," he muttered, "I was serious."

Another sob escaped Kate's lips and several tears quickly slipped down her cheeks. Sawyer shifted slightly and turned towards her, despite the throbbing pain in his shoulder. He moved his good arm to her face and brushed her tears away with his thumb.

Kate spoke, "You aren't supposed to fall in love with me….You _can't_ fall in love with me…."

"You're a bit late with your speech, Freckles."

She laughed lightly, despite the painful situation. "Sawyer," Kate began desperately, "We can't be together. It won't work. You'll only end up getting hurt….We can never be."

"You make a fair point," he commented, "It's too bad I disagree."

Kate sighed, "But Sawyer…"

"But nothing, Sweetheart," he cut her off. "Why're you so convinced that it's only going to end with pain? You know we're both no stranger to that, anyway."

Sawyer moved closer to her, sitting up.

"I know," she replied simply.

They're faces were mere inches apart.

He replied, "Good."

With that, he closed the gap between the two them, and he kissed her like he'd never kissed before, with all the passion, all the emotion, all the love he'd kept bottled up for so long. And she responded exactly the same, with all the emotion she had.

After several moments of this, Kate mumbled against his skin, "I love you too."

"I figured," Sawyer replied, somewhat smugly. Kate simply grinned and kissed him again, despite her fears. Right now she could care less.

They were finally home.


End file.
